Culture is a very important aspect of life. Whether it is at home, in the workplace, or in an educational setting, culture can greatly influence an individual’s experience. A positive culture can inspire, motivate, and bring people closer towards a common goal. Meanwhile, a negative culture can have the opposite impact and instead build resentment, distrust, and lack of satisfaction.

In our class we have people from many different walks of life. Some are working professionals, some are business owners, and others are full time students. While our backgrounds are very different, there is a certain culture that we have created. Some of the things I have witnessed are humor and play, physical setting, stories, values, and rules. There is some light hearted joking and humor during class, which helps break up any tension and allows students and instructors to form a bond. Our physical setting, unfortunately, is virtual and consists of homes, dorms, or libraries. Stories are my favorite, as our professors do not hesitate to tell stories of their experiences that add value to the teaching lessons. Values are each person’s individual values as well as the values that the professors desire to instill in the students, such as communication, hard work, and timeliness. Finally, rules are put in place by the instructors in order to set expectations for the course as well as to set students up for success.

Our culture is that of a group working towards a common goal. I feel everyone is given a chance to be heard, understood, and is shown respect. Our positive culture allows for a great learning environment and is conducive to building each member up. I am thankful to be a part of such a motivating, inspirational group!